fugitives were ordered to attend her on her progress through the separate divisions of the province. These matters being arranged, she began to think of settling those of a domestic nature, and turning round to Emily "Lift up thy hands to Heaven in prayer for us when we are gone, maiden," she said; " perchance it may be heard, and haply granted." "I will put up my prayers for you, sweet lady, every day, and at each hour in every day, whilst Heaven shall leave me breath to utter them. But that shall be when I am at leave not Rennes without me. your side.-You I too go forth with you,-a helpmate and companion." 66 Thou, Damsel ! That must thou not.Thou art too young, too delicate, too tender yet in years, and too unformed of limb, to rush into such scenes as 'tis my hapless, heavy task to seck. Thou art unused to such fierce contests, and to the hardships of them. "Twould kill thee, child!" "Too delicate! unused to hardships! Are VOL. III. E then these hands," replied Emily, taking those of the Countess in hers, "less delicate than mine? Is Emily, long nursed as she hath been by sorrow, and inured to hardship, able less to bear up 'gainst fatigue, than is the Dame of Montfort, who, until now, hath never known it? Fic, lady, fie, speak not thus in mockery. You journey not unsolaced by my care.-E'en now my palfrey waiteth.” Jeanne, though, as not expecting it, was surprised and startled at her young friend's offer, was far from feeling sorry it had been made, or was persisted in. In Emily she had long found a friend, in whose wisdom she could confide, and in whose affection to herself, and concern for all relating to her interests or welfare, she had had frequent proofs; and this she repaid with that fondness, which females sometimes feel for each other, till Love comes in to break the charm. Thinking, therefore, that her advice might serve her in good stead on many occasions, and that, on all, her converse would be a solace, and conduce, when unoccupied by business, to draw off her mind from painful reflections, she offered no farther opposition to her design. All things being at length prepared for departure, the Countess, mounted on a fine hold steed, a favourite of her husband's, with Emily riding at her side, seated on a low palfrey, in the midst of the troops, who encompassed them as a guard, sate forth from Rennes. The child, with his nurse or governess, was placed in a litter: a sort of arke covered with canvass, supported and carried by two horses, each having a rider, and being harnessed, the one in front, the other behind, the vehicle, to poles fixed to its sides, in the same manner as to sedan chairs at present. This was not, perhaps, the most expeditious mode of travelling, but it was the only one which could be then adopted: the Countess deeming it indispensable that her son should accompany her; whilst he, from his tender years, was as yet unable to bear the fatigue of a journey on horseback: nevertheless, this being a progress, undertaken more with a design of drawing over to, or of confirming de Montfort's vassals in, their duty, than as an expedition in which war was anticipated, she would have to remain in many towns sufficiently long to enable the litter to overtake the cavalcade, if, at any time, it was found necessary to precede the former. In this manner she proceeded: first to Montfort, from which town it was that her husband derived his name, and which formed the principal part of his ancestral domain: then to Montauban, Becheval, Fougères, Daubigné, Frongues, and, indeed, to every place of any import in that part of Britany now known by the name of Le Vilain, and having, as she hoped, thus gained their inhabitants to her cause, went on to Bredon, whence, journeying to the Westward, in order to avoid entering Le Loire, as the department is now called, in which quarter the Duke of Normandy still remained with the French army, she crossed into Le Morbihan, through which having also progressed, confirming as she went its towns in allegiance, she finally reached Hennebon, in which fortress she resolved to |